My four-year-old ran towards the water of the mall fountain, unable to contain his awe and excitement.
“I want to THROW something!” he exclaimed, bouncing up and down in front of the small spectacle.
His big sister started rummaging around in her tiny, shiny little-girl purse and pulled out a single penny for him.
“Make a wish, first!” Rachel instructed.
My boy-child stood still for two whole seconds, then hurled the copper penny into the depths of the fountain with all his might.
The magic moment over, he turned to walk away.
Rachel asked, “Johnathan, what did you wish for?”
He replied, “A dinosaur.”
That’s right, folks. A dinosaur. Not a toy dinosaur, either. A real, live dinosaur. You know, the extinct kind.
All I could say was, “Way to dream big, buddy!”
The whole situation is so telling of my son. He sees no limits. He dreams impossible dreams. He wishes for the moon and stars … and dinosaurs. I love this about him. It makes me question myself:
When did I stop believing that all things are possible?
After decades of living on this earth, we all suffer disappointments. Santa doesn’t bring what we ask for, that crush doesn’t like us in return, our loved one dies, we don’t get that job or promotion we worked towards. We all experience let-downs. If we’re not careful, we can find ourselves disillusioned and – dare I say it - disbelieving.
So how do we maintain hope, faith, and optimism in the midst of our hard, everyday lives?
By looking to the very author of our futures.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11
I can’t say it any better than that. God Himself wants us to prosper and has constructed plans so we will do exactly that.
We must focus on Him, not our momentary struggles.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
PHILIPPIANS 4:8
When we focus on the eternal things of God, our transitory burdens become lighter and easier to carry. When we focus on a good God in control of the universe, we find goodness everywhere we turn. When we focus on the depth of love in our Savior’s eyes, we see love in those around us. When we focus on His mercy and forgiveness, we sense the great need to offer these to our hurting world.
Let your eyes look straight ahead;
PROVERBS 4:25-26
fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
and be steadfast in all your ways.
Ruth Chou Simons, in her book Beholding and Becoming, says “We become what we behold.” Turn and seek the face of God in the midst of your everyday life, then watch as faith, hope, and optimism show up in increasing measure.
Jesus looked at them and said,
“With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
MARK 10:27
With our faces turned towards our Heavenly Father, our minds fixed on His word, and our hearts aligned with His character, we can once again believe that all things are truly possible. Even dinosaurs.
Believingly His,
Expressively HIS ... 